Reinsdorf On 2013 Season: ‘Maybe I’ll Wake Up & It Was Just A Bad Dream’

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(WSCR) If you had trouble digesting the White Sox’s 99-loss season in 2013, you’re not alone.

White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf joined 670 The Score on Saturday to give his take on the 2013 season that saw his team finish in last place in the American League Central Division.

“I don’t think I dealt with it,” Reinsdorf said. “I’m still trying to deal with it. I keep thinking maybe I’ll wake up and it was just a bad dream. It was an unexpected year. We’ve had years in the past where we weren’t good, but I always knew that we weren’t going to be good. … I thought we were going to be competitive this year with a decent chance to win the division. It just caught me by surprise.

Reinsdorf said moving forward, Rick Hahn can do whatever he needs to do to improve the ballclub, as long as he stays within the agreed upon budget.

The Chairman also said the White Sox have no plans to go into a full rebuilding mode, as evidence by the signing of Cuban defector Jose Abreu to a six-year, $68 million deal.

“I think the trade for (Avisail) Garcia and signing of Abreu certainly is a statement that we’re not ripping it apart and trying to get bad before we get good,” Reinsdorf said. “I think that’s certainly a statement that we want to get better than we were last year. On the other hand, better than last year still isn’t saying much. … We’re not striping it down. I think that’s the message that we sent.”

And what about Paul Konerko? Will he have a place with the 2014 White Sox?

“It’s truly Paul’s option,” Reinsdorf said. “He’s earned the right to come back if he wants to come back. He’s been the most popular player over the last 15 years that we’ve had. He’s only had a handful of at-bats in a Cincinnati uniform, so he’s basically a White Sox lifer. He’s a terrific teammate. He’s our captain. He just has to make a decision whether or not he wants to come back.”

Mayor Rahm Emanuel threw cold water on the Chicago Cubs’ request to begin working on Wrigley Field renovations around the clock, after cold winter weather significantly delayed construction of new bleachers.